Knife-setting appliance



mec. 25, w23. M7853@ E. VOSBURGH KNIFE SETTING APPLIANCE Filed June 18 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. f' 06f/1f ,Vasa/#6M ATTOEY.

Dec.. 25, 923 ATSB@ E. vOSBURLm-l KNIFE SETTING APPLIANCE Filed June 18 1921 3 Sheets-Sheei'I 2 ,4 j INVENTOR.

F a t BY ToRNEY.

et. 25 R923. 11,478,539

E. vosBuRGH KNIFE SET-T-ING APPLIANCE Filed June 18 .1921 s sheets-sheet 5 mlm g l INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 25, i923.

i EUGENE vosBUaGn, or LoNGMoNT, conoiaa'nof` mirra-SETTING ArrLIAncn.

Application led lTune 18,

Y Beit known that I, EUGENE VosBURGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Longmont, in :the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented `certain new and useful .Improvements in Knife- Setting Appliances, of which the following is a specification. 1

l This invention relates to an appliance for setting knives in knife'boxes ofbeet-slicing machines and its main object is tofprovide an apparatus of simple and eiiicient construction which automatically adjusts the knives to a predetermined position with'relation to each other and the boxes in which they are mounted.

An embodiment of my invention has been illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which Figure 1 represents a front View of my improved knife-setting apparatus with a knife-box of a beet-slicing machine in position for the adjustment of its knives by the operation thereof;

Figure 2, a plan view` of the apparatus shown in Figure l;

Figure 3, a vertical section taken on the line 3 3, Figure l, drawn to an enlarged scale; v Y Figure Ll, a plan view of the rotary cutting element of a beet slicing machine;

Figure 5,'an axial section of the element andthe feed box with which it is associated, taken on the line 5-5, Figure 4.

Figure 6, a fragmentary section similar to that of Figure 3, and drawn to a reduced scale, showing amodification inthe construction'of the operating mechanism of the appliance, andl Figure 7, a face view of one of the knifeadjusting members of the device, looking in the direction of the arrow A, Figure 3.

IIt is essential in the process of sugar extraction from sugar beets that inthe opera- 'Y tion of a machine in which the beets are sliced into strips of vV-shaped section, commonly known as'cossettes, the product be of uniform widthy and thickness.

' The types vof lbeet slicing machines most f commonly used in sugar factories comprise a rotaryele'ment carrying a series of detachably mounted boxes each of which contains a plurality of corrugated slicing knives. The knives are detachably fastened in the boxes sothat-they may be readily removed 192i. serial-Na. 473,585. i

to bersharpened when dulled in action, as

.frequently .jo'ccurs inl the operation' of the f machine, and inasmuch as the knives in the severalA boxes assembled onthe rotary carvri'er cooperate in the-production `of the cos- .settes, `it isof paramount importance that their position in the boxes be arranged infaccordance with a predetermined f uniform gage whereby/to insure the true alinement-of the cutting edges of the corresponding,

knives in the several boxes of the series assembled on they operating element 'of' the machine. f

It will be evident that in order'to obtain the desired precise alinement of the knives their placement in the boxes'requires'careful adjustment and. that the 'provision of a machine by which the knives are automatically positioned in their boxe'sin accordance with a predetermined uniformfarrangement, is of great advantage in'that rit produces a dependable result at much saving of' time and labor. f n v The knife-setting appliance shown inthe drawings and hereinafter described-is pai'- ticularly adapted for use in setting knives in the boxes of a cutting element of the type illustrated in Figures 4 andv of the drawings. I desire it'understoo'd, however, that the mechanism is not limited in itsuse to j this extent andthat by slight modifications in the details of `construction and the arrangement of its cooperating parts, it may be adapted for setting knives in boxes of slicing machines ofdifferent character'with-v out departing from the scope of the-invention as defined in the hereunto appended claims.

The slicing element shown in Figuresii and 5 consists of a disk A mounted for rol tation about a vertical axis invan upright cylindrical container B into which the beets to b e sliced are fed from above. The disk has a series' of equidistantly spaced radial openings Cfto receive the knife-boxes E which are held' in place by set lscrews F vor other suitable means.

In the constructionA shown in the drawingsalined slots L in the back ofthe boxfand-l therewith alining, slantingly disposed slots M in the knives, which permit of both lateral and longitudinal adjustment of the knives before the nuts are'tightened'onA the bolts. In the operation of the slicing machine, the disk onwhich the-knife boxes. are assembled, rotateslabout its vertical axis and Vlli by engagement; of the'forward cutting edges ofthe knives .with the -lowermostg beets vin the container,y cuts theminto''V-shaped stripsvof -uniform width .and thickness Wh-ichf-pass-through thefspaee between the knives andthe gage member K;

It will zbe readilyunderstood'that'fin 'orfder to constantly' maintain this highly l'desir-- able degree of uniformity in the cross-sectional size of. the cossettesproduced by the machine, the cutting edges' o-f-fthe knives-of the -variousboxes must be accurately alined in circles concentric withthe axis of rotation-and that-provided the kboxesare of uniform-size and -formwand uniformly positioned on the disk, this --resultl isidependent on` the f proper fpo'sition of the knives in the boxes, automatically obtained "by means of the present setting appliance the yConstruction` and operationof Vwhich will now be described. Y A Y;

A- rectangular supporting' frame fof suit.- able formandprop'ortions is for convenience fastened upon a table or workbench ,6 vby meansofmachi-ne bolts Textending through openings" in prdjecting-j flange i5-of l`its' basel 9. 'The to'p 'o fthe support'fhas azdepressed seat 10for-the knife-lboX-,`-and, at an end thereof, an .upright-abutment shoulder ,12..whiclicooperates witha'n eccentric clamp-at the opposite end of the seat to secure thefknife-boxin ai predetermined position.

The clamp may be of any desired construc- Y tion and has been shown -to lconsistof a cylindrical-block 13 mounted to move about'a vertical eccentric' spindle on the frame and provided with ai-handle to' facilitate its rofeteltf i i A ,shaft i 14rotatably' mounted inv-.bearings .i on upright jmembe-rsof; the lfrarne-beneath the top thereof, carriesa plurality of. arms 15 which in number and-relativeiarrangement correspond with the' knives in ,zt-knife box secured upon theasupport-i'nfthedetermina-teposition hereinbefore described and shown-in Figures l to Bof the-drawings.

Thearms extending` upwardly from the' shaft are provided.attheiriupper ends with4 .f corrugated dies-16 which are adapted to -mesh with lthe corrugations ofthe knives ofl the-.knife box. when: ie theoperatonot .the

machine they` are brought-in engagement therewith fby lrotation of the. shaft. p VThe arms are extended below the shaft A.on whichthey are mounted to provide contact faces'l? for cams 18 on a shaft 19 .which is'supported in bearings on the upin the rknifei-b'ox'fas shown; in full-:flin'es in Figure 3,' and,n a ratchetibar 25-'on'. the bench cooperates lwith a .detent 26V on'the treadlel` to secure 'the latter Y inY a depressed ther 'armer-15 are separated lf'rom'the'kriives condition*l against the action-of the. spring. Y

A spring 27 coiled around the'cam'shaft in connection with an adjacent part'ofthe supportingl frame :cooperates with the spring of thehinge to restore the- :parts to their normal-positionfwhen the vdetent. 'onthe treadle isr released r froml tlieffteethofflthe ratchet bar'l and asimilar spring' 28 applied to .the shaft 314; serves 'to 1 automatically .sep-I arate'the arms-from :the knivesin the knifebox after the operation is completed# i IBars129,extending upwardly :fro'mthe lback of the frame 5 in rigid connectionjtherewith, are bent' -angularlyabove `-thevtop ofthesame to -provide-abntmentsr xfor the "knives-.in the knife-box when'they are engagedby the-,dies on: the-.rocker armsy in 'the f 'operation vof""'the appliancejy L v f In ltheyn'rodified-'construction of the operating 'mechanismshown inFigure 6', the cam shaft has been eliminatedfand the-rod' 21 connected with thef-tread'le,` is atitsupper e'ndpivotally attached-to a crank arm; 3)() directly mounted .onfthe rocker. shaft, 1,41, In the .operation-y of jmy invention a knifebox is placed in an upright positionfinifthe f seatl atthe top of the fra-me-b'etween-thestationary shoulderVV 12 and the eccentric clamp whiclrsecu-res 'it against displacement.

The 4bolts which-fasten. rth'e knives .in theY j knife-boxa-re loosened Itopermit of the-ad,` justmentr'of the knives when engagedby the dies on the arms-15,1a`nd a gage'lv isplace'd.

upon the'seat ,ofy the zframe,`as best shown in Figure 3 tosupportgthe knives ata-*determinate ydistance abo-ve -theedge of the `ad` f` justablegag'e K of the box# l, 'Vl-f y f 'The 'gagel-consists of a flat-barlof metal which standsloosely on the frame tof-deterf,

mine the 'verticalposition of the knives, and

by providing a number of these-bars madev inI diii'erent gwdths; the Y knivesv may. beadjusted-to cut cossettes of any desired thickness or ,the knives of boxes vof different dimensions may be adjusted in accordance with a vpredetermined standard.

' After the knife box and the gage bar are relatively position-ed as shown and described, theoperator by depression of the treadle brings the dies-16 in engagement with the looselysupported knives, as shown in broken lines in Figure 3, and in full lines in F igure 2. f g

' The Vfirst light contact of the dies with the knives causes the latter to drop upon vthe gage bar 3l and continued pressure on the arms 15 brings the corrugated dies in mesh with the corresponding corrugated cutting portions of the knives and causes the latter t'o shift laterally to a position with relation to each other and an end of the box in which they are supported, predetermined by the relative positions of the arms and the dies.

After the knives have thus been placed the treadle is locked in its depressed condition by the engagement of its detent with the ratchet bar and the nuts on the bolts of the knife boxes are tightened until the knives are securely fastened in their adjusted position. After the treadle is subsequently re leased the springs automatically return the cooperating parts of the mechanism to their original position.

It will be apparent that by the cooperation of the means for holding each knife-box in the same position with relation to the operating mechanism of the appliance, the dies which are immovably arranged with relation to each other, and a gage bar of standard width, the knivesl of the several uniformly constructed knife-boxes of a beet-slicing machine, may be uniformly arranged with relation to each other and the ends of the boxes and that when the boxes are subsequently fastened in the openings of the rotary carrier of the machine in contact with concentric shoulders at the ends thereof, the cutting edges of the knives will invariably lie in circles concentric to the axes of rotation to produce cossettes of uniform width and thickness.

lVhile I have shown my improved knifesetting apparatus in the best and simplest form at present known to me, I desire it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown in the drawings and hereinbefore described, and that variations in the construction and arrangement of its parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure bv Letters-Patent is:

1. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determining the position of a knife-box thereon, an element adapted to engage a face of knives loosely held in the box for their lateral adjustment;

and abutment-means engaging the opposite faces of they knives tov resist pressure of the element.

2. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determiningthe posif tion ofr a knife-box thereon, an element adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box for their adjustment to a determinate position, andfoot-opera-ted means for the actuation of said element.

3. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determining they position of a knife-box thereon, a shaft, corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by a partial rotation thereof, and means to actuate the shaft.

4. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determining the posi-y tion of a knife-box thereon, a shaft, corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by a partial rotation thereof, means to actuate the shaft, and a spring yieldingly holding the shaft in its normal position of rest.

5. A knife-setting appliance comprising a Support having means determining the position of a knife-box thereon, a shaft., corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by ya partial rotation thereof, and footoperated means to actuate the shaft.

6. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determining the position of a knife box thereon, a shaft, corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by a partial rotation thereof, a treadle, and an operative connection between the treadle and the shaft.

7. A knife-setting appliance comprising a support having means determining the position of a knife-box thereon. a shaft, corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by a partial rotation thereof, a springheld treadle, and an operative connection between the treadle and the shaft.

8. A knifesetting appliance comprising a support having means determining the position of a knife-box thereon, a shaft, corrugated dies carried on the shaft and adapted to engage knives loosely held in the box by a partial rotation thereof, a cam act ing upon the shaft to effect its rotary motion, a lever-arm connected with the cam, and a treadle operatively connected with the lever-arm.

9. In an appliance for setting knives in a box having a discharge slot along the cutting edges thereof. a support for the box, an element for the lateral adjustment of the knives in the box, and means cti-operating with said element to gage the width of the discharge slot.

4'10.-In an' appliance for setting knives in a box having a discharge slot along the cutting edges thereof, Va support for the box, an element furthe lateral adjustment of the knives inv thebox, and means adapted lto aline the ,Cutting edges of the knives andto simultaneously gage the-[Width ot the'k slot, in the operation of the adjusting element.

e l1. In an appliance for setting knives in a box having a discharge-slot along the cut,- ting 'edgesthereoi ay support for the box,l an

' element for the lateral adjustment of the knives in the box, and a removably supported gage b'ar foinengageinent With the l5 cutting edges of the knives, tol aline said cutting edges and 'determine the'width Yof Y the discharge'slotj,y 1 l,

12. In .an appliance for setting knives vin a box having a discharge-slot along the cutting edges thereof, a support forthe box, an element for thelateral adjustment or the knives in the box, and a removable*gagev bar resting ont-he support in engagement With the cutting edges of the knives, toaline said cutting edges and determiney the ,-vvidtlfiA of the discharge slot. A

Intestiniony whereof I have aiiixed Vmy 

